Features

Economic News

Partnership for Progress

Learn more about this program for minority-owned and de novo institutions.

Symbols on
American Money

This booklet looks at the various images and symbols that have been used on U.S. currency over the years.
(PDF, 5.34 MB, 16 pages)

Upcoming Events

Making Sense of Money and Banking
July 14-18, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

Personal Finance for the Middle School Classroom
July 30, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

Kids and Money: A Professional Development Program for Teachers
August 4, 7, and 12, 2008
Philadelphia, PA, Gettysburg, PA, and Atlantic City, NJ

The Great Depression: A Professional Development Program for Teachers
August 5, 8, and 13, 2008
Philadelphia, PA, Gettysburg, PA, and Atlantic City, NJ

Learn About Borrowing

Order the free video "Buried by Debt: The Dangers of Borrowing"

What's New

Banking Legislation and Policy Released

May 9, 2008 – The first quarter Banking Legislation and Policy was released today. This issue includes discussions of legislation related to student loans, bank holding companies, and the insurance industry.

Forecasters Now Classified by Industry

May 2, 2008 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Research Department has categorized Survey of Professional Forecasters participants by their association with either a financial services provider or a nonfinancial services provider in order to get a better understanding of how industry affiliation influences projections for economic indicators. See the news release.

FOMC Lowers Target for Fed Funds Rate

April 30, 2008 – The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to lower its target for the federal funds rate 25 basis points to 2 percent.

Bank’s Annual Report Released Today

April 30, 2008 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s annual report for 2007 was released today. It features an essay addressing the question: Is it better for a policymaker to commit to a particular course of action or to approach each situation with unconstrained flexibility? The report also highlights changes in the Bank’s checks operation, the Bank’s new role in the U.S. Treasury’s programs, and plans for a screening facility.

South Jersey Firms See Weak Business Activity

April 29, 2008 –The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia today released the First Quarter 2008 South Jersey Business Survey. The firms polled perceived that conditions in the national, state, and regional economies continued to deteriorate during the first quarter. In the special questions, about 30 percent of the firms surveyed linked a decrease in demand to higher energy prices.

Philadelphia Fed Releases Leading Indexes

April 29, 2008 – The Philadelphia Fed today released the March leading indexes for Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Special Report: Industry Concentrations

April 28, 2008 – In a Research Rap Special Report, “Industry Concentration in the Tri-State Metropolitan Areas,” Senior Economic Analyst Tim Schiller looks at industry concentration measured by employment and how it can be used to help determine how a local area’s economy will fare in response to developments that affect major industries.

Philadelphia Fed Analysis: Housing Permits

April 25, 2008 – The Philadelphia Fed today posted analysis related to the release of data on regional housing permits during the month of March.

Coincident Indexes Released Today

April 22, 2008 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia today released the March coincident indexes for all 50 states.

Philadelphia Fed Analysis: State Employment

April 21, 2008 – The Philadelphia Fed today posted an analysis related to the March state employment statistics for Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The analysis is based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Speech: Monetary Policy and Financial Stability

April 18, 2008 – President Charles I. Plosser today talked about “Monetary Policy and Financial Stability” at a conference hosted by the Global Interdependence Center and Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. In his remarks, Plosser outlined the Federal Reserve’s response to turmoil in the financial markets on several fronts, including lowering the fed funds rate and providing additional liquidity. Read the speech.

Manufacturers Report Continued Weakness

April 17, 2008 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia today released April ’s Business Outlook Survey. Activity in the region's manufacturing sector continued to weaken this month, according to the firms polled for this survey. In the special questions, firms were asked about changes in demand and plans for capital spending since the beginning of this year. See the news release.

Speech: Education and Economic Prosperity

April 16, 2008 – President Charles I. Plosser today talked about “Education and Economic Prosperity” at Montgomery County Community College. In his remarks, Plosser emphasized the importance of education and its critical role in the economy.

Coincident Indexes: Recession or Not?

April 15, 2008 – In a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Research Rap Special Report, a Philadelphia Fed senior economic analyst makes a case for using the 50-state coincident indexes to determine whether a recession has occurred, giving economists a four- to six-month lead before the official announcement from the traditional arbiter of recession timing, the National Bureau of Economic Research.